Following Pawsteps
Tiny padded around, worrying about the pups being born. His exile was scheduled in 2 nights, so he'd only see his pups twice- or never. His mate, Blaze, howled in pain and fear. Tiny peeked into her den, seeing 2 pups being taken away- a dappled one, and a spotted one. Tiny dashed to Blaze, with a mouse dangling in his jaw. "Blaze, why are our pups gone?," Tiny asked. He didn't really care, he only wanted to have power over his mate. "...I gave them to Snowy...," Blaze muttered, blood sputtering out. Tiny looked worried, only for the pups. Blaze closed her eyes and coughed, then opened her eyes, her amber eyes filled with terror. Tiny did not lick, whimper or worry. He just held a mouse. Snowy had his only pups, Blaze was dying and he was being exiled. What could be worse? He finally said something. "Blaze. I will leave you here to die.," Tiny barked, turning away. The large greyhound limped up, wounds being uncovered. Tiny looked back, then gasped. His tail raised up. Blaze attempted to run to him, but collapsed. "...will you forgive me?," Blaze offered a chance of forgiveness. Tiny declined it, and clawed Blaze's forehead. "Tiny, why are you doing... Doing this?," Blaze asked. The small dog shrugged, and pushed the helpless greyhound down. "I've found a new mate.," Tiny padded away. Milk and Twinkle played around Snowy's den. "Pups, calm it!," Snowy whispered, her ears twitching. Twinkle snarled, as Milk laughed. "No fair! I almost heated Milk..! I would've been the best fighter ever! Every dog would look up to me!," Twinkle barked. Her ambition to become insanely strong, lead something and have dogs look up to her made a crippling pain in Snowy's heart, remembering Tiny. "She's following pawsteps..," Snowy mumbled. Twinkle pawed Milk, then dashed into the pile of prey. "Hey, hey, don't knock that-" Snowy broke off. Twinkle had a big, juicy mouse'' ''in her mouth. Milk jumped to her, and tugged the mouse. It was huge! "Stop it!," Twinkle growled. She bit into the mouse, and began eating it. ''How did she... '' Twinkle was delighted. She looked as if.. Tiny. She was defiantly following pawsteps. "Twinkle, please go greet Poppy and Flake with prey...," Snowy asked, worried and scared. Would Twinkle, the pup of Tiny, follow a traitor's pawsteps? Twinkle swallowed one last gulp, then got up. She licked her mouth, and padded to the elders' place with ravens in her mouth. Snowy glanced over at Milk, seeing much more of Blaze than Tiny. Every dog feared Tiny. He was a strong, fearsome dog. He fought for truth and love until Bark came along. Bark tricked him into his own bloodthirsty treachery, taught him everything, too. Snowy shook her head, and ran to the elders'. "It's okay, Poppy! I won't let her kill you!," Snowy blurted out. Twinkle jumped to her paws, she was feeding a weak pup. "Mother-Dog, I am fine.. And what makes you think I'd ever lay a claw on Poppy? She has amazing stories.. I can't kill her.. In fact, I'd never kill anyone! Why do you think that?," Twinkle growled. Snowy shrunk, then bowed her head. "I-i'm sorry... I just see so much of Tiny and Bark in you...," Snowy padded away. Poppy shrugged, and continued. Twinkle padded out of the elders' place, exhausted. Snowy looked at her, fearfully. "I am sorry, Twinkle. But I think I can't trust you around your brother! What if you... Hurt him?," Snowy confessed. Twinkle let out a long, angry growl. Her teeth bared, and her eyes narrowed. "What makes ''me ''dangerous? I told you, I am not hurting any dog!," Twinkle growled. Snowy looked down. Milk was sleeping, and Twinkle was enraged. "Its..," Twinkle muttered. She unsheathed her claws, and clawed the earth. Snowy gasped, and hopped away. "Its time you realize...," Twinkle growled. She bit Snowy, then said, "You taking me away from my Father-Dog does not make me him.. What if you were me? I already miss my real Mother-Dog, why did you take me away from her?," Twinkle asked in a painful voice. Snowy looked up. "I had to. Blaze was dying. You two were in danger of your Father-Dog. He said he'd throw you two off a gorge if Blaze died, and she did. I had to rescue you. Your Mother-Dog is dead, and I don't want to know anything about Tiny.," Snowy growled, licking the neck wound. Twinkle stared in fear. "Alright, fine. Your Father-Dog was Bark. Your Step-Father-Dog was Tiny. Bark didn't want to hurt you or Milk, so he let Tiny nurse you two. He had a heart then.," Snowy said. Twinkle looked down. She lashed her tail in sadness. "I want to see him! I've had dreamdreams of him..! He is sweet, can we please meet him?," Twinkle begged. "No! He's bad!," Snowy looked at her paws. "Sorry, Twinkle. It just had to tell you the truth before..." Poppy yowled angrily at the two dogs. "Flake and I cannot stand another second if you two youngsters don't feed us!" Poppy croaked. Twinkle pricked her ears, and dashed to the pile of prey, and grabbed three plump ravens. "Twinkle, let me help you carry those to the elders. They might snap at you, ya know, elders these days?" Snowy barked weakly. Twinkle let out a mumbling growl, and dropped the plump birds onto the elders paws."Need help now? Snowy, it'll help if you quit judging me. I'm no different from Milk. Milk is my brother. He's Tin- er- Bark's pup too. Maybe one day you'll realize that." Twinkle barked. Snowy glanced down, then barked, "Twinkle! I raised you to be a brave dog, not this snob! Look, Milk is sleeping, like you should be!" Snowy tried changing how she behaved. "Snowy, I am not a pup right now. Please let me finish what must be finished." Twinkle padded off. Snowy looked embarrassed, then glared at the dog trailing away. "Twinkle." She continued, "you are a pup." Snowy's tone was painful and lonely. "Mother-Dog? What do you mean about Twinkle?" Milk yawned with a tiny squeal. "Oh.. Um... Twinkle is a pup... That's all!" Snowy admitted. She kept the darker part deep inside. "No.. Mother-Dog! I hear it all! You said Twinkle was a snob, and that her new Father-Dog was Bark and Tiny! And Blaze was an old Mother-Dog! And.. And Tiny was thirsty for red-juice! That Mother-Dogs and Father-Dogs create! I think its called blood? Maybe I will fetch you some! You seem thirsty!" Milk panicked. Snowy growled. "No! Red-juice is poisen! You obtain it by.. Um.. Eating rotted magpie!" Snowy insisted. Milk nodded, and waited for an answer. "Go away! The elders want to share stories.." Snowy demanded. Milk scrambled away. Snowy looked up, just to see Twinkle padding up with a few plump jays. ''Impossible! Jays only stay near where ever those stray Sharpclaws stay! She must've hunted there! ''Snowy thought. A fight-dog ran from her den. "Snowy! Blaze has spoken to Sn! There is a prophecy! Twinkle must fulfill it!" She cried. Snowy growled. "Prophecy? No way! I must speak with Blaze. Guard the camp." Snowy fell deep asleep. As she opened her eye, she was with the Spirit Dogs. "Blaze! Blaze! What is this prophecy all about? I am begging you!" Snowy begged. Blaze chuckled. "Okay. I can only tell you this. A twinkle from a star will choose it's path, and the right direction could lead to the pack's fate or the pack's destiny." Snowy awoken. She knew what this meant. Bark and Tiny's prophecy were similar. "Size does not matter. The howl of a dog and the size will rise and destroy love and truth". Snowy snarled. "I knew that mutt would betray us!" Snowy had to help Twinkle choose the correct path. Snowy knew, Twinkle needed help with this. But all she had to do was wait... And love.